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WISP3

Reviewed April 2013

What is the official name of the WISP3 gene?

The official name of this gene is “WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 3.”

WISP3 is the gene's official symbol. The WISP3 gene is also known by other names, listed below.

What is the normal function of the WISP3 gene?

The WISP3 gene provides instructions for making a protein that appears to be involved in bone growth and the maintenance of cartilage, which covers and protects the ends of bones. The function of the WISP3 protein is not well understood. It is part of a family of proteins that are involved in the growth and maintenance of connective tissues, such as bone, cartilage, and blood vessels. The WISP3 protein is made in cells called chondrocytes, which produce and maintain cartilage, and is associated with the production of certain proteins that make up cartilage, but its role in their production is unclear. WISP3 may also help control signaling pathways involved in the development of cartilage and bone and may help regulate the breakdown of cartilage components.

How are changes in the WISP3 gene related to health conditions?

Mutations in the WISP3 gene cause progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia (PPRD), which is a condition that causes stiffness and pain in the joints of the hands, hips, knees, and spine. The joint problems worsen over time, and movement in the joints becomes limited. Most of the mutations involved in this condition lead to production of an abnormally short WISP3 protein that is probably nonfunctional. Other mutations change single protein building blocks (amino acids) in the protein. Loss of WISP3 protein function likely disrupts normal cartilage maintenance and bone growth, leading to the joint problems in PPRD.

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